For more than 20 years, vocalist/guitarist Michael Poulsen has been spearheading Danish rock and roll machine Volbeat, releasing eight full-lengths, selling millions of albums, and filling stadiums worldwide.
Before fronting Volbeat, however, Poulsen formed death metal band Dominus, which recorded four fast, brutal albums in the mid '90s. When Poulsen was putting together songs for Volbeat's 2021 album, Servant Of The Mind, he wrote a bunch of death metal riffs and saved them on his phone. Then, when he was done with the Volbeat record, he reopened the rusty gates to Armageddon and started putting together songs for his new death metal band Asinhell, whose debut album Impii Hora (Latin for Ungodly Hour), is a tribute to Poulsen's favourite old-school groups.
Impii Hora was released September 29 via Metal Blade. Today, the band has shared the video for "Pyromantic Scryer". Watch below.
"'Pyromantic Scryer' was the first song I wrote for the album and it surely has an Entombed vibe, and as I've said before, it was L.G. Petrov who kicked started the birth of Asinhell," says Poulsen.
"Pyromancy is the 'art' of prophecy/augury by any means of fire," continues vocalist Marc Grewe. "The song is about a mad man who thinks he can predict the future from fires. Fires he sets himself. In his delusion, he thinks he is a misunderstood messiah. The song can also been seen metaphorical on some things that are going on (and wrong) in the world of today… a small spark of a mad man (or group/cult) can set the world on fire. I think the video created by Shan Dan shows this dangerous behaviour in a quite drastic way!"
The band is embarking on a European tour next month. Dates are listed below.
Tour dates:
May
30 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumphuset (+ Sickomania)
June
2 - Hamburg, Germany - Übel & Gefährlich (+ Endseeker)
3 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Rockhal (+ Endseeker)
5 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Rhonda (+ Endseeker)
7 - Nürburgring, Germany - Rock am Ring
9 - Nürnberg, Germany - Rock im Park
10 - München, Germany - Technikum (+ Endseeker)
12 - Zürich, Switzerland - Xtra (+ Alien Weaponry)
13 - Nickelsdorf, Austria - Nova Rock
15 - Donington Park, UK - Download Festival
18 - Berlin, Germany - Hole 44 (+ Endseeker)
19 - Frankfurt, Germany - Zoom (+ Endseeker)
20 - Dessel, Germany - Graspop Metal Meeting
22 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhell
24 - Essen, Germany - Turock (+ Endseeker)
25 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur (+ Endseeker)
27 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
29 - Oslo, Norway - Tons of Rock
August
31 - Næstved, Denmark - Næstved Metalfest
Asinhell are:
Michael Poulsen: Guitar
Marc Grewe: Vocals
Morten Toft Hansen: Drums
